Apparatus for controlling the flow of ore through roasting furnaces



May 13 1924.

M. G. F. SOHNLEIN APPARATUS Fon coNTRoLLmG THE FLow op ORE THRoUGHnoAsTING FURNAcEs l Filed May 17. 1920 Patented May 13, 1924.

-NITED STATES 4 l Lasten PATENT oFFice.

MAXIMILIAN Gr. F. SHNLEIN, OF SANTIAGO, CHILE, ASSIGrlNI'OIty TOALLIS-CHALMERS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, AlCORPORATIONOF DELAWARE.

APPARATUS Foa eoNTRoLLrNG `THE FLOW or can THRoUcH noas'rme renuncias. ff f lapplicateur ined May 17, 1920. serial No. 382,680.

prrwomcnts in Apparatus for Controlling the Flow of Ore Through RoastingFurnaces, of which the following Ais a specification.

This invention relates to the treatment of ores by they roastingprocesswherein thev sulphides of metals are converted into oxides by exposingthem tothe action ofoxygen from the air and stirring by mechanical meansso as to expose continually fresh grains of ore to the" air. Thisprocess, yas ordinarily carried out, is continuous, ore being fed at oneside or the top of the furnace and being moved through the furnace bydisplacement. Where special conditions are required, as for instance,anvincomplete state of oxidation, or oxidation of one mineral withpreference to another, or chloridizing is done after roasting, it isdifficult to maintain the exact conditions in the furnace for doing theproper work, and a slight variation of conditions will cause the furnaceto deliver an unsuitable product. If this happens there is no remedythat will work instantly, because it takes considerable time for thefurnace to be readjusted, and in the meantime it continues dischargingan unsuitable product.

My present invention is directed to overooming the above recited defectsby dividing a roasting furnace into sections independent of each otherand separated by sliding doors. The process can be carried out in twotypes of furnaces, the first one being the reverberatory type, and thesecond the superimposed hearth type. The accompanying drawingsillustrate the two kinds of apparatus suitable for carrying out myinvention, and referring thereto:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal diagrammatic section of areverberatory roasting furnace to which the invention hasbeen applied.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal diagrammatic sec-` tion of the reverberatoryfurnace shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical diagrammatic section of a superimposed hearthroasting furnace to which the invention has been applied.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal diagrammatic section of a superimposed hearthfurnace shown in Fig. 3.

Referring vto Figures 5and 6 are the rabble arms which stir the ore inthe furnace; 7 is the arch and 8 the hearth. The latter is built inseveral steps, going down in the same direction in which the ore ismoved through the furnace. gEach pair of rabble'arms serve one sectionwhich` is separated from the next one by the vertical sliding doors 9andlt).- When' these` doors are closed lgases may' escape 'freelythrough the spaces above them butl the oref 1s confined to the sectionlin which it finds.l

itself, and it can only Apass to thesection lower down if the door isopened by a lever from the outside.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, 11 the y' The process may be carried outin the dey scribed apparatus as follows: after heating the furnace byburning fuel on the hearths, a charge of ore is introduced on the firsthearth, and worked down to the second hearth by opening the slidingdoor. lVhen it has arrived on the second hearth the door is closed.again, and another charge of ore fed on the first hearth. The charge outhe second hearth is then passed on to the third hearth by opening thedoor between those two hearths, and after closing it again, the chargefrom the first hearth is passed to the second by opening the doorbetween the first two hearths. After closingthat door, a new charge ofore is fed on the first hearth, and the furnace is operated with acharge on each hearth, until the charge on the last hearth has reachedthe state of oxidation that is desired, and is withdrawn from thefurnace, or first submitted to an auxiliary process such aschloridizing, and then withdrawn. After this, the charges are againmoved forward in the furnace and fresh ore is fed on the first hearth.

I declare that heretofore there has been no roasting furnace arranged soas to secure the positive control of the state of oxidation 'i mi e", 1,e, a, 4,`

of the charge hy the means indicated in these claims, therefore, What Iclaim is the following: i

1. In a roasting furnace, a plurality of hearths each having a dischargeconduit communicating -With a succeeding hearth, a door in the dischargeconduit` of each hearth for positively confining material in saidhearths, means for agitating material confined in said hearths, andmeans for effecting operation of said doors from the ex terior of saidfurnace.

2. In a roasting furnace, a plurality of hearths each having. adischarge conduit communicating with a succeeding hearth, a door in thedischarge conduit of each hearth for positively confining material insaid heartlis, common means for agitating material confined in each ofsaid hearths and for: transporting said material through each ofl saidhearths, and Ameans for effecting operation of said doors from theexterior of said furnace. i e

3. In a roasting furnace, a plurality of hearths each having a dischargeconduit communicating with a succeeding hearth, a

doorin the discharge conduit of each hearth forpositively conliningsolids and liquid in saidhearths While permitting escapeof gas, meansfor agitatiug materialy confined in said hearths, and means foreffecting operation of said doors from the vexterior ofl said furnace.

4. In; a roasting furnace, a plurality of hearths each having adischarge conduit comi'nunicating with a succeeding hearth, a door inthe discharge conduit of each hearth for positively confining materialin said hearths, means for simultaneously agitating material confined inall of said hearths, and means for effecting operation of said doorsfrom the exterior of said furnace.

5. In a roasting furnace, a plurality of hearths each having a dischargeconduit communicating Withv a succeeding hearth, a door in the dischargeconduit of each hearth for positively confining material in saidhearths, means for agitating material conned in said hearths, and meansfor effecting independent,manipulation of said doors from the exteriorof said furnace.

G. In a roasting furnace, a plurality of hearths each having a dischargeconduit communicating with a succeeding hearth, a door in the dischargeconduit of each hearth for positively confining solids and liquids insaid hearth While permitting escape of gas, common means forsimultaneously agitating and transporting the material con-4 fined inall ofv said hearths, and means for effectingy independent manipulationof said doors from the exterior of said furnace In testimony whereof Iatlix my signature.

M.. G. F. sHNLEiN.

Witnesses:

S. CARNEELIE, UWALTER J. TINGLE.

